Three Ways to Find a Good Mechanic

Posted on 10/30/2014

Three Ways to Find a Good Mechanic

It’s only natural for customers of foreign car repair shops to get a sneaking suspicion that they’re overpaying or getting needless work done. If you want car repair services that you can trust, then keep these next few tips in mind when you’re at the car repair shop. 1. Don’t Buy Into Scare Tactics. Scare tactics are undoubtedly effective, but if your mechanic drops a line on you like, “I wouldn’t drive this thing for another mile,” then you might be better off going to a different car repair shop for a second opinion. Should you decide to go for a second opinion, do yourself the favor of not telling the second mechanic about the previous diagnosis and price. That way you can be absolutely sure that there really is a problem with your car, and that the first shop wasn’t simply trying to scare you into paying for needless work. 2. Crowdsource Your Way to a Better Mechanic. Using the power of sites like Yelp, you can easily find a reputable car repair shop. These review sites allow customers to post about their experiences to either recommend or warn. The site has an algorithm to spot misleading reviews, but there are times when they can slip by undetected. Rather than placing too much stock in a single review, check out what patterns emerge after reading numerous reviews, seeing which ones are specific and give loads of details about the experience. If the shop responds to users posts, as they sometimes will, it shows that the owner cares about his or her business’s reputation, which is a good indicator. 3. Check Certifications. It’s only natural that you should take your vehicle to a licensed car repair shop, but most people aren’t even sure of what certifications they should be looking for. To start with, check for AAA or ASE (the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence) certifications. A shop must undergo rigorous testing to achieve such certifications, which ensures that their services are truly high-quality. You can avoid car repair shops of ill repute if you simply follow these three tips. If you have any car repair questions, feel free to ask in the comments..